


The Miraculous Truth

by Squidtastics



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:06:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23415007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squidtastics/pseuds/Squidtastics
Summary: What if Marinette received the Black Cat Miraculous and Adrien the Ladybug Miraculous?Marinette would have to listen to Plagg's snark and run herself ragged trying to fund his cheese addiction while Adrien tries to keep up with Tikki's expectations and ever present advice.Marinette would turn into the superhero Chat Noir and Adrien would turn into the superhero Ladybug, forever partners, but now with different roles to play.But when Marinette as Chat Noir starts to fall for Ladybug and Adrien for Marinette, everything becomes complicated.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Comments: 16
Kudos: 55





	1. [Tikki] Fire

187 years ago

Smoke billowed into the sky, obscuring the light from the sun as the temple burned. It was silent except for the crackling of flames and whine of wood as it burned. The valley was surrounded by nothing but snow-tipped mountains, producing an eerie echo. No one could help them now. The air was thick and hard to breathe through, but Tikki kept moving.

_Mom. Dad. Please, let me find you._ Tikki repeated the phrase over and over in her head. It took everything she had in her to not stop where she was and let the flames consume her too. Clasped in her tiny stubs for hands, she carried two red earrings with five black spots symmetrically decorating them. The pattern mimicked her own red and black-spotted skin. She hoped that the earrings had not been damaged by the explosions and subsequent fires.

The earrings were her Miraculous, an item that allowed Kwamis like herself to merge with a holder and lend them her power. Kwamis were creatures that possessed unique abilities, but it was too concentrated in their blood for them to be able to use it on their own without causing irreparable damage. The only way to use it was to find a human holder who could wield power in a less concentrated amount. However, the only way to do that was through a Miraculous, and one that wasn't damaged. Tikki had been warned that if something happened to her Miraculous to break it in any way, it would not be good, and she could never use her powers again.

Tikki tore through hallways and passed a single ornate black box with red carvings on the top. She didn't have the time to stop and check up on the Kwamis inside the box, but she hoped that they were going to be okay.

She had been lucky to escape her own Miracle Box through the commotion. Her Miraculous had luckily moved from its snug position, allowing her to break free from the box. Kwamis were bound by magic to them, which only allowed them to be free if their Miraculous was going to be in use, a precaution the temple had taken on to limit the amount of damage caused by Kwamis. She wanted to free her partners in the box, but she was desperate, and she had to find her parents and siblings and make sure they were okay.

Miracle Boxes were supposed to be almost indestructible, so she knew being inside one was probably the safest place to be. However, she knew her parents had been out for training earlier that day, and Kwamis became vulnerable with a holder. Holders were human, meaning they could die much easier. Kwamis were able to lend some sort of protection to their holders while they were transformed and held within the Miraculous, but Tikki worried that maybe it wasn't enough.

She rounded a corner at full speed but had to stop dead in her tracks. A vast, blue beast stood in the center of the main room, it's back facing Tikki. Shelves of Miracle Boxes were strewn across the floor all around the monster. Some had their lids open, and Tikki could see that there were no Miraculous inside. She raised her eyes to the creature again but had to cover her mouth to hold back a scream. She watched with wide, horrified eyes as the beast began to feast on a Miraculous from an open box.

The monster's large mouth opened wide and swallowed it whole. Tikki let out a small whimper. Were those Kwamis...? No, no, no, they couldn't be dead. Please, they couldn't be dead.

Tikki then saw a black figure out of the corner of her eye. She turned and realized that it was another Kwami, hiding behind a box. His green eyes with slitted black pupils were locked onto the beast. His black cat ears subtly twitched as he watched. A black ring was around one of his arms, with a glowing green paw print in the center. Once he saw that the creature was preoccupied with another box, he started to take tentative steps closer to an archway that led down another hall.

Tikki recognized the other Kwami. His name was Plagg, and he had been in her training year. She hadn't known him that well, and they had both been assigned to separate Miracle Boxes. She did, however, remember that he had been extremely annoying during lectures.

But even so, seeing another Kwami alive filled Tikki's chest with hope and relief. Maybe her parents were still living too. Tikki couldn't bring herself to think about the alternative.

Her gaze snapped back and forth between the miraculous-eating monster and Plagg. He was close to disappearing around the corner, and she wanted to get his attention. Maybe he knew something about her parents, or even about the beast and what had happened.

She didn't want to alert the blue creature, though, and ended up resorting to just staring at Plagg, hoping he would feel the intensity of her gaze on him and look over. He took a step closer to the archway, eyes still watching the best's movements. Just a couple more steps, and Tikki would lose who might be the only hope in finding her parents. She was about to drop her gaze, defeated, when his eyes suddenly caught hers.

He looked shocked and scared, his mouth opening in surprise. Tikki quickly raised a hand to her lips, but it was already too late.

"Tikki?" He gasped, his squeaky voice ringing through the open room.

Realizing his mistake, Plagg raised both hands to cover his mouth, but it was no use now. The creature had heard; looking up from the latest box, it was devouring. It turned to face them, and Tikki could see that it didn't have any eyes, only a wide mouth. It had a body like a blue frog, with an impression of a pattern on its forehead. Tikki knew it was the same pattern on the top of the Miracle Boxes. Seeing the design on the creature jolted Tikki's memory. She recalled a lecture about senti-monsters created by the Peacock Miraculous. They were beasts brought to life by the emotions of the Peacock Holder, and could only be destroyed by them.

It slowly raised its nose to the air and sniffed. It paused, and Tikki tensed her muscles, ready to make a split-second move for an exit. She saw that Plagg was also frozen where he stood not too far from her.

It took one step closer, then another. Tikki's blood was pounding through her body, and she hoped with all of her being that since the creature couldn't see them, that it would turn back around and leave them alone. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched her earrings closer to her body.

"YUM, YUM! MIRACULOUS!" It screeched and leaped toward Tikki and Plagg.

Tikki turned and ran as fast as she could. She wasn't going to die this way. Rounding a corner, she was directed onto the path of another hallway, where she could see Plagg running less than a meter in front of her. She silently cursed, realizing that now both of them were in immediate danger. They needed a plan to escape and fast.

Tikki sped up even faster, trying to bridge the gap between her and Plagg. An open door was coming up on their right, and before she could decide otherwise, she shoved herself hard into Plagg. They went sprawling into the empty room. They both lost hold of their miraculous, and they skid to the other side of the room before stopping against the wall. Tikki quickly scrambled up and slammed the door hard, just as the creature went flying past, who was unable to make such a sharp turn at a fast speed. She turned the lock and frantically looked around the room for items to create a barricade.

Spotting a desk on the wall next to the door, she maneuvered herself into a position to push it. She grabbed hold of one of the legs of the table, her two arms braced against it. Tikki gave it a forceful push, but the desk didn't budge. Frantically, she tried again, but the result was the same.

"Plagg! Help me! It's too heavy for me to move on my own!" Tikki screamed in his direction.

Plagg was still trying to recover from the fall into the room and lay sprawled on the floor. He blinked a couple times, taking in the surroundings and the sight of Tikki trying to push the desk. He looked to the door and back at Tikki, realization spreading across his face. He quickly jumped up and took hold of the other leg of the desk right next to Tikki.

"On three," Tikki started. "One. Two. THREE!"

They both shoved their entire weight against the desk, and it finally moved. Tikki had to use some of her power stores for her ability, but she guessed Plagg was doing the same.

Giving it all they had, the desk was finally secured in its place against the door. Plagg slumped back in exhaustion, his breathing ragged. Tikki felt like she was going to collapse, and black spots started to appear in the corners of her vision.

A sudden slam filled the air and shook the door down to its hinges. The creature was attempting to break its way in. Tikki snapped herself out of it. She couldn't pass out now, not until they were truly safe.

Her gaze drifted toward the ceiling. Red lanterns hung from hooks, engulfing the room in a warm orange-red light. From the opposite side of the room, a window was cut into the wall, contrasting the lantern light with a sharp bluish tinted sunlight. Tikki locked onto the window, a plan forming in her mind. She flew up to the window, inspecting it further. She pressed her palms against the glass and pushed on it, testing to see if she might be strong enough to break it. She retreated a couple paces, doubting the possibility. She was too tired after pushing the desk.

Another slam reverberated against the door.

"I don't know what you are doing up there," called Plagg, who was still resting on the floor, "but I really hope it involves not dying."

"Why don't you come up with something then?" Tikki snaps back, returning her focus to the window.

Plagg mutters something under his breath, but he is too far away for her to hear.

Tikki's gaze stayed on the window, and she scanned the edges connected to the wall. She spotted a latch on the left side edge. She came closer and reached her hands out. She pushed it up and then tried to move the glass again. With a small squeal from the window hinges, it moved a fraction.

A splintering sound shattered Tikki's feeling of triumph, and she looked back behind her to see the door cracked and broken in some places, exposing blue skin on the other side of the door. Plagg stared up at it with fear, on his feet now after the noise.

"Quickly, Plagg! Up here! I got the window to move a bit."

Plagg wasted no time, picking up both of their Miraculous before rising to meet Tikki at the window. He pressed his back against the glass, holding the miraculous in his arms, and helped her push it open just enough for them both to slip through. A defining bang sounded down below, and Tikki stole a glance backward. The door was completely shattered, and the blue beast stepped inside the room, throwing the desk aside like it is nothing more than a feather. An arm wraped around hers, pulling her through the gap. A cold wind clawed at Tikki's face and made her eyes water once she was outside. Plagg pushed her earrings into her arms.

They both studied the courtyard they found themselves in. A tree burned near Plagg and Tikki, and behind that, they could see huge towers of smoke spiraling up into the sky. The entire East Wing of the temple had gone up in furious flames.

Tikki cowered back and sunk toward the floor as Plagg scanned the other Wings. The fire wasn't as massive in other places, but it still burned bright. Smoke rose into the sky, almost creating a ring around where they stood.

"Tikki, we have to go. NOW!" Plagg frantically cried, grabbing on to Tikki's arm and flying toward an opening in the smoke. They traveled over rooftops and through clouds of smoke. They didn't see any other Kwami's on their journey. They were almost past the temple, and away from the fire, when Tikki stopped dead in her tracks, forcing Plagg to slow down, "Plagg, we can't keep running forever. I have to go back and look for my parents!"

"We could have been killed! We need to get to safety and trust that others are doing the same thing. It helps no one if you are lost too because you went back in," Plagg's eyes filled with hurt and sadness as he said the words. He knows that what he's implying is selfish.

Tikki jerked her arm away from his grasp, and without a word, descended into smoke. The shadow of tears stungs at her eyes. How could he say something like that? Tikki would never leave her family behind.

A quick black-figure slammed into Tikki's side, making her lose her sense and start to fall toward the ground. Plagg pushed them both in the direction away from the fire and toward safety. They fell together, hurtling fast toward the earth. Plagg acted like a motor, driving them toward a destination in the snow.

Shaking off the shock that left her limbs frozen, Tikki begun to struggle against the force driving her away from the direction of the burning temple. Plagg kept his arms wrapped tightly around Tikki, his ring Miraculous digging into her side.

"Let me go!" Tikki screamed, tears springing to her eyes and running down her face. "I can't leave without them!"

"It's too much of a risk! I'm not going to stand by and watch you get yourself hurt! You saw that beast and what it was doing! We stand no chance if we come across its path again!"

The snow-covered ground came closer and closer. Plag begun to slow down, but never loosened his hold on Tikki. They landed lightly on the ground, tears still streaming down Tikki's face. Silent sobs shook her body as the fight in her died down.

Plagg gently unwrapped his arms from around her and leans back. He put a step between them but keept his green eyes on her face, his expression filled with a silent apology. But Tikki knows he doesn't regret what he did.

Anger, desperation, and despair all swirled together inside of Tikki, and she launched to her feet, powered by her emotions. Catching Plagg off guard, she sprinted toward the flames, flying as fast as she could possibly go. No one could stop her now. She could hear Plagg crying out after her, begging her to come back. She would find her parents, she would save them too, and they would all get out together. She could do it, she knew she could-

The temple exploded.

The shock wave sent Tikki crashing back into the snow. Debris fell down all around her -wooden beams, concrete, singed bits of cloth, and shards of glass. Ice quickly boiled into water, dropping Tikki further into the ground. Her face was cut by bits of glass, and burning wooden beams created a cage around her, trapping her. She was dizzy from the impact, and all she could manage is a half-hearted attempt at standing.

She suddenly realized she doesn't have her Miraculous with her anymore.

The world faded to black.


	2. [Marinette] Hopes and Dreams

Present Day

Marinette tapped, tapped, tapped her pen against the open pages of the magazine in her lap. She flew through the pages with her eyes, scouring the diverse fashion styles, outfits, and accessories she sees on every page. An empty sketchbook sits on a blank page next to her. It waited patiently for her to pour her ideas onto the sheet.

But nothing came. Marinette reached the back page of the magazine and sighed in frustration. She tossed the newly finished magazine on top of a growing pile of other discarded ones on the floor. A sigh of failure escaped her lips, and she picked up the last magazine on her desk.

Marinette always felt so inspired after looking at other's ideas of fashion from either magazines or just observing people on the streets of Paris. But today, she had found no motivation to begin sketching. It had become harder and harder to come up with ideas for any of her own fashion designs anymore.

Taking a quick glance at the front cover before beginning, her hand stilled mid-page flip. Staring up at her was a model that couldn't have been more than a year older than Marinette, with styled golden blond hair and skin that was ever so slightly tanned with a straight but soft pointed nose. His lips were posed into a slight smile that pulled lightly at the corner of his eyes. And his eyes. They were such a vibrant shade of emerald green that captivated Marinette every time she saw them. This same model had been in many of the magazines that sat in her discard pile.

Every time she saw him, she felt a little more loathing.

Marinette didn't want to feel so negatively toward someone she had never met, but she couldn't help but acknowledge the jealousy that had worked its way to her heart. This model was so successful that, at her age, he was already on the front page of major magazines. He probably came from a wealthy background and had opportunities to make connections with the most influential people in the fashion industry. He was already so deep into a very competitive industry that didn't just let anyone be a part of it, and that is precisely who Marinette wanted to be.

But here she was, alone in her room with her only company being her blank sketchbook and hopeless dreams. She wanted so badly to be someone like him.

Both her hands gripped the magazine from either side, her pen forgotten on her desk. She wanted to rip the green-eyed boy's smiling face off the cover and shred it into a million pieces. She raised one of her hands to the top of the cover.

_It's unfair to blame him for what you don't have._

The thought made Marinette freeze just as a tear began to form on the page. Slowly, her hand pulled back from the cover. Her left hand's iron-fisted grip on the magazine softened. Her head dropped in shame.

What was she thinking? She was judging this model's entire life based solely in comparison to her own. She didn't know how hard he could've worked to be where he is now. She doesn't know anything about his life other than him being in magazines. It wasn't fair to him.

It wasn't fair to her.

Maybe this model did have some connection just sorely based on the family he was born to. Perhaps he was just a natural talent that got luckily seen in the streets. The point is that his life wasn't hers. Just because this model already had the kind of life Marinette wanted, didn't mean she would never become a fashion designer.

She had so much life to live, so why give up on her dreams now.

_Right?_

After a few moments of silence, Marinette leaned back in her desk chair and sighed. Even after her little pep talk, she still felt like shit and still had no inspiration. She glanced at the blank page that was taunting her from her desk.

_Tomorrow, then_ , she decided.

With a swing of her legs, Marinette got to her feet and stretched. She sure had been sitting for a very long time, and her body was noticing.

She still was holding the magazine in her left hand, and she looked down at the cover again. The golden-haired boy with the emerald eyes was smiling up at her, and Marinette couldn't help but give a small smile back.

She gently placed the magazine back down on her desk and looked around her room. Pink dominated most of her surroundings from the rug to her chair to the walls. The ceiling was high up, and the room very spacious, even with support beams running from the upper parts of the walls diagonally to the floor. But in that moment, Marinette felt suffocated.

Her breaths were shallow like there was a heavyweight on her chest. Panic was slowly creeping in the fringes of her awareness. She quickly scaled the ladder that led up to a small overhang that contained her very pink bed and opened the hatch right above it.

The first thing she felt as she pulled herself up to the balcony on the roof of her house was the fresh evening air hit her skin. There was a slight wind that blew her bangs across her forehead and to the side of her face.

Closing the hatch, Marinette stood and approached the balcony railing. The evening sky was a blend of pinks, reds, oranges, blues, and purples. The sun was low on the horizon, and long shadows are cast on the pavement below. The distorted shapes of trees in the park and the people walking by danced on the sidewalks.

She watched as someone directly below her exited from the bakery on the first floor of her house. It was about the time of day that her dad would be serving the last of the customers and closing up the shop, and her mom would be on the second floor getting dinner ready for the three of them to eat together.

Once they all had sat down at the table and begun to eat, her parents would discuss the business for tomorrow and their plans for the day, including the macaroons that would be made for Marinette to take tomorrow. They would turn to her and ask how excited she is to have her first day of 10th grade first thing in the morning. She would smirk and complain about her chances of having Chloe in her class for 1000th year in a row, and her parents would chuckle. They would tell her to be kind even though Chloe would upset her. Marinette would nod and smile, saying that after so many years, she was an expert at being around her by now. They would all laugh together and continue eating until no food was left, and the sky smoldered into a pitch-black night.

Everything would be exactly how it always was. Completely ordinary.

Marinette sighed and leaned against the railing, folding her forearms so both her elbows sat on the cold metal. She slouched down, resting her chin on her arms. With her eyes closed and her breathing more steady now that she was in fresh air, she allowed herself to think about being in a different world than the one she was in now. She imagined herself finally feeling free of her every day responsibilities with all the time in the world to just be herself. In this other world she was someone who truly matters and who makes the world a better place through just being herself.

_I want to be free._

The wish was simple enough.

It hovered in her heart for a few long seconds. A tear pricked the back of her eye. Marinette straightened quickly and rubbed her eyes in an attempt to disperse the tears. She felt shame strangle the wish.

It is childish to think like this. Of course, Marinette was free! She was privileged to live in a caring home, have a happy family, and to be able to pursue her dreams of designing. She already had so much more than others. She should be grateful. But she had always wanted more.

"Marinette!"

Her mother's sing-song call traveled up through the house.

"Where did you go? Are you up on the balcony?"

Her voice was close, and Marinette knew her mom is only one floor below her.

"Yeah, mom! I'm up here! I'm coming down now!" Marinette called back.

"I just need your help setting the table and telling your father dinner is ready."

"Got it!"

Marinette made her way to the door on the floor. She nudged it open and swung her legs down. Just before she jumps onto her bed below, she took one last look at the sunset. Her blue eyes scanned the beautiful colors that paint the sky through the bars of the railing.

Something shifted in the corner of Marinette's vision, and her attention snapped to a potted plant on a ledge. She stared, examining the lone red flower, daring it to move.

But nothing did.

A quick shake of her head and Marinette's thoughts shifted to the tasks her mother gave her to perform. It was strange though; she could have sworn she saw a small shadow, a triangular ear, and a flash of green.

But maybe it was just her imagination playing tricks on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes the second chapter where a bit of Marinette's normal life is shown before it is about to change forever!  
> Can y'all guess who the shadow in Marinette's vision was? ;)
> 
> Anyway, chapter three is in the works! Hopefully I'll update soon!  
> I'll cya next time!


	3. [Adrien] The Note

"I'm going to school tomorrow."

  
Adrien stood in the doorway of his father's office, his hands clenched into defiant fists and chin tilted up. He confidently stared at his father's back. Every year, this same argument started precisely like this. But this year, Adrien felt confident he would win. This year, he was going to fight for what he wanted, and he had an ace up his sleeve to help him do exactly that.

  
"Of course you are. Online classes start at 8 AM tomorrow." His father kept his back turned. "Make sure you are ready in the morning."

  
"No, this year, I'm going to go to a real school," Adrien stated, the confidence in his tone ringing around the mostly empty office. "With other kids! So I can finally get out of my room!"

  
His father let out a sigh, and Adrien saw his shoulders drop for a second before returning to their normal rigid posture. "Adrien, you know how this argument is going to end."

  
"Father, please! I-"

  
"The answer is no. You know it is already too late for admission. Now go back to your room. I have work do to, and I refuse to participate any more in this."

The harsh words made Adrien pause. He didn't understand how his father could be so against him attending a real school. Gabriel Agreste was a secretive person, a fact that his son was forced to come to terms with. No matter how hard Adrien tried for things to be otherwise, there had always been a barrier of ice between them that couldn't be broken.

  
Even so, couldn't he see how trapped Adrien felt in this house? How strangled he was by this life? Maybe his father did notice. Perhaps he just didn't care.

  
Adrien took a deep breath before continuing, debating his next words carefully. His father kept many secrets that Adrien couldn't ever dream of knowing. But he did know one.

  
"I found the note mom left."

  
The words hung in the air. Even after silence drifted upon the room once more, the ghost of the words haunted both of them. Neither Adrien nor his father moved an inch. The risk that came with revealing this knowledge could cost him significantly. He might never have any chance of going to a regular school again if things went badly.

  
But maybe using the secret note against his father would finally tip the scales into Adrien's favor. Going to school would give him the chance to learn about and experience the world outside of his room.

  
Finally, he would be able to have more than one friend.

  
"I see you have been in places where you do not belong, Adrien."

  
His father's icy tone froze Adrien's blood.

  
"She wanted me to go to school, father! In her own words, she told you that me going to a real school was what she wanted. Why won't you listen to her?"

  
Adrenaline coursed through Adrien's entire body as he anxiously awaited his father's next move. His father stood stiffly, still not meeting his son's gaze. Seconds felt like minutes as the time ticked, ticked, ticked by.

  
Adrien's mother had disappeared almost 7 years ago, and his father had barely said one word about her since. It was almost like she had never been apart of their family. But Adrien refused to forget her. He had tried bringing her up on multiple occasions, but he never got any response. So, Adrien kept her alive himself. Whenever he saw the specific shade of midnight blue she loved, he would point it out, or when on one of his bad days, he snuck a few bites of raspberry, dark chocolate from the cupboard where she kept her stash of it and think of how it would feel for her arms to be around him. He would imagine she was right there next to him, telling him how much she loved him and how proud she was at who he was becoming. 

  
The cupboard had always seemed to be full of chocolate despite how much Adrien ate. He suspected his father was the one behind it, but he knew to confront him was pointless. Though it was oddly comforting to know that maybe his father hadn't forgotten her after all.

  
Finally, one day early this year, he decided he was going to get answers himself. Adrien snuck into his father's office when he was on a short business trip and looked for anything that could be related to Mom. The office was the most secretive place in the entire house, so Adrien figured that anything significant had to be here.

  
He was right.

  
In a hidden drawer, there had been a folder of papers and on top had sat a note addressed to his father in his mother's handwriting.

" _'To my Dearest Gabriel, I know you disapprove of my decision, but I have to do what is right for my family's safety. I'm sorry it has come down to this. I hope one day you can see I only want you and Adrien to be happy,''_ " Adrien's voice finally broke the silence as he began reciting the words written by his mother that were burned into his memory. " _'If I don't come back, please tell Adrien how much I love him. I can already see the compassion and strength in his eyes. He reminds me of you, and I know he needs a freeing environment to flourish. You've told me before the benefits of homeschooling him, but I've finally decided that I'm against that. I see how much he hates being inside all the time and how learning through a screen is not what he needs. He dreams of the world, Gabriel, and I want him to find it for himself. We can't protect him from everything, and I don't want to. He needs to go out into the world without having to hold our hands along the entire way. He needs to experience the world because only that will help him truly discover who he is. I have below a few names of some of the academies I think will be best for him. I hope these words help sway you just a bit on the issue. I love you. Yours forever and always, Em-'_ " 

  
"You do not know anything about this, Adrien!" His father's booming voice cut through the last of the note. Fear pricked Adrien's heart. His father never raised his voice. "Do not dare act like you do."

  
In one fluid motion, Gabriel whirled to face his son and closed more of the distance between them.

  
Suddenly, Adrien is meeting his father's stern grey eyes. The fury behind them made Adrien flinch. He took a small step back out of the office.

  
"You should not be snooping into my private matters, Adrien! My verdict is final. You are not going to any 'real' school tomorrow, or the next day, or next year, or ever. My patience is wearing thin, so it is best you do not argue with me," his father's eyes flashed warningly when Adrien began to open his mouth. "Your mother may have wanted specific things for you, but I am still your father. I am the one here. I make the final decisions."

  
The intensity of his words and gaze caused Adrien to drop his eyes to the floor. Tears pricked his eyes as they began to well up. He wanted so badly to hold his ground against his father. He thought he had enough leverage by using his mother's own words. 

  
But it seems like he would have to wait until next year to fruitfully try again.

  
"Then why did you enroll me in school anyway?" Adrien mumbled, his voice traveling to the floor. The note wasn't the only thing he had found in his father's office. It had been on top of a small folder labeled School, and the only contents were a few documents that contained a bombshell. Right in that folder was proof that his father had kept Adrien enrolled as a student in a local Academy for the past seven years. It had been on the list his mother had provided of schools, as well. The only catch was that the school also offered an online program that could be used in place of physical attendance. All this time, Adrien could have gone to a school like he had wanted, but his father had decided to deny him every year.

  
He kept his attention locked on his orange and white shoes, unable to meet his father's eyes. The shoes were still in perfect condition even though Adrien got them months ago. He wore them around the house to make sure that when every opportunity to leave the house arose, he would be ready. His eyes traced the pattern the laces made as the seconds dripped, dripped, dripped by. The colors slowly became more and more blurry in his vision as his eyes continue to well up. But none of the tears fell. Adrien refused to let them.

  
Adrien would not give his father another reason to see him as weak.

  
He could still feel his father's blazing gaze on him. Its intensity was so high, it almost seared Adrien's skin.   
And then, all at once, it was gone.

  
"This discussion is over, Adrien. Go back to your room and stay there. Like I said, I have work to do. Nathalie will bring you dinner to eat in your room."

  
All Adrien could manage is a small nod before backing out of the room. He raised his head a fraction to see that he was once again facing his father's back and left scorned.  
Just before he left, though, Adrien whispered: "I thought you loved us."

-=0=-

From an outsider's glace, Adrien Agreste's life was perfect. He had a wealthy father who was a very successful and respected fashion designer who got him into the modeling industry instantly. Adrien was a very sought after model and blessed with shiny golden blond hair and vibrant emerald green eyes. Even though he had only been modeling for less than a year, he had already built up a following and his name was quickly spreading through out the industry. He could have anything he wanted in the world.

  
Or that's what others believed. 

  
SLAM!

  
Adrien didn't care how forcefully he slammed the door behind him as he sunk down to his knees. Now that he was alone, he let the tears that had been building up behind his eyes roll down his face. He raked his hands through his golden blond hair as his body shook with silent sobs.

  
His frustration and despair burned in his blood and his eyes. His fingers trembled as they caught in his once perfectly styled hair that was now ragged. Tears clouded his vision, but Adrien spared a glace up to take in his empty room in an attempt to distract himself.

  
The space was so huge, his quiet sniffles echoed all around him. His familiar queen-sized bed wasn't that far away from where he was curled up on the floor. He imagined the feeling of laying on the plush mattress and feeling the very soft and feather-light sheets. The pillow would absorb his face gently, and he could close his eyes and forget the world. If only he had enough strength to get up.

  
On the other hand, the wood floor was rough and as hard a concrete. It forced his skin to flatten against the smooth surface, and his arm dug painfully into his side. Adrien welcomed the pain. The floor would remind him of everything that had just happened, remind him of his mother's absence, and his father's icy chill, remind him that tomorrow he would wake up in this house and not leave for school.

  
The floor felt real, and the bed felt like a lie.

  
He had tried hiding from the truth for long enough.

  
He stared out the window in front of him that took up the entire wall. He could see a great view of the city that was on the other side of the glass. He could see neighboring rooftops parks and even a glimpse of the Effiel Tower in the distance. The sight was beautiful, but Adrien had a hard time enjoying the view. The window was divided into panels bordered by thick frames and bars running vertically and horizontally, creating rectangles of light that poured into the room.

  
It felt like looking out at the world through prison bars.

  
He was allowed to see the outside world, but he was never allowed to be apart of it.

  
What had he done to deserve this misery that was slowly eating him alive? Why could he never seem to ever please his father no matter how hard he studied or how much money he made as a model? Why didn't his father ever look at him unless he was angry? Why did his mother leave him like this? Why didn't she say goodbye?

  
Why did he feel so trapped?

  
Why, why, why?

  
The tears slowly dried up on Adrien's face, and no more fell. His body and mind felt numb from crying. Exhaustion clawed at his consciousness, threatening to pull him under.  
With the last strength he had, Adrien made a wish.

  
_I wish to be free._

  
He clung to the words like a lifeline. Slowly, a plan formed in his mind. There were a lot of things Adrien couldn't control, so he decided to focus on something he just might be able to.

  
His father didn't think Adrien would be defiant enough to take the matter into his own hands regarding school. Unfortunately for Gabriel Agreste, his son had not forgotten what was in the file under the note.

  
Those files were all Adrien needed to feel confident in his plan. He had always thought that he had to convince his father to enroll him in a physical school, but that was far from reality. His father had already done that. Now all Adrien needed to do was take advantage of it.

  
Still curled up on the floor, Adrien let sleep wash over him. Just as he was closing his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a small red figure peering into his window. For a split second, he looked into big dark blue eyes.

  
He noted that they were his mom's favorite color, soon drifting off while thinking of her arms around him instead of the embrace of the cold floor.


	4. [Plagg] Cataclysmic

187 years ago

"Tikki!" Plagg screamed as he saw the explosion cover her in rubble. Before he registered anything, he flew as fast as he could to the spot where she was last seen. His soul pounded in his small body, and his thoughts were scattered. He couldn't understand why Tikki had run toward the temple. Didn't she have any sense of self-preservation? Couldn't she realize that the temple and everyone inside was in danger and that at this point, there was nothing they could do?

As he reached the pile imprisoning Tikki, Plagg squeezed between two charred planks. He frantically searched for any sign of life, any glint of red. As he made his way deeper into the pile, he called out for Tikki over and over. His eyes begun to sting, and tears crept into his vision.

  
  
Charred wood creaked and splintered, fractured pieces falling to the snow and barely missing the small shadow rushing through the mess. Smoke rose faster and thicker into the sky, collecting into considerable clouds in the sky. What little light was left from the sun became obscured entirely in smoke. Lit wooden planks cast a warm glow over the melting snow covering the ground. 

Plagg made his way closer and closer to the fire at the center of the pile of debris. He stopped in his tracks as the heat from the flames brushed his skin. The flames rose high above him, an impenetrable, burning wall separating him from Tikki. 

One step back, two steps back, three.

  
  
"Tikki, no, please, Tikki, don't be..." Plagg's eyes were captivated by the vibrant oranges and yellows. Tikki was behind there, in danger. His feet were rooted to the ground. Tikki was helpless, in danger. His breaths came faster and faster. Tikki was clinging to life, in danger, and all Plagg to do was stand there and watch the flames. Her time was running out.

Four steps back, five steps back, six.

Plagg couldn't bring himself to save her. He couldn't bring himself to step closer to the flames. He couldn't bring himself to call out for Tikki. He couldn't bring himself to search and search until he found her. Frozen by fear, he could only think of his own self-interests. Trying to save Tikki would put himself in harm's way. Tikki was the one who had chosen to go toward the temple. Plagg had wanted to stop her, he had done what he could.

He turned his back toward the flames toward Tikki.

One second passed. Two seconds. Plagg hesitated on taking the necessary steps to leave. What if Tikki was still alive? Plagg didn't know if he could live with himself if he let her die alone.

All alone, taking her final breath of smoke-filled air, knowing that no one had come to her rescue, flames rising, rising, rising, burning her skin...

Alone, alone, alone, alone...

Plagg didn't want her to die in the way he knew he was going to.

He took one step closer to the burning planks. He racked his thoughts for ideas on how to save Tikki. _Come on, come on, Plagg! Think! Think! Think!_

His teeth gritted in frustration. There seemed to be nothing he could do! If only he had a way to destroy the planks without hurting Tikki...

_Destroy the wood...destroy... destroy!_

Plagg looked down at his palm. Years of schooling shouted at him to reconsider, not break the rules, and find some other way. The pile groaned, and a charred plank snapped, sending splinters into the ground at Plagg's feet. The fire shuttered, still grabbing for more to burn. The woodpile that hid Tikki was beginning to collapse in on itself. He was running out of time. Plagg needed to act now. _Right now._

Ignoring the voice that contained everything he had been taught in his lifetime, Plagg raised his arm toward the woodpile. A single word escaped his lips. He could feel himself shouting, but his ears only perceived it as a quiet whisper.

"Cataclysm!"

-=0=-

Plagg awoke suddenly to the sensation of cold. He felt snow underneath his body, and a chill wind brushed his skin. He could hear the howling of the wind accompanied by...were those voices? He slowly opened his eyes and stared up at a cloudy but bright sky. There was a hint of smoke in the air, but it didn't seem like a fire was nearby.

For some reason, not having a fire near him was strange to Plagg... Where was he? Why was he outside? Shouldn't he be in the temple-

In a flash, Plagg's memories of the temple fire, Tikki, the explosion, and trying to save her with his cataclysm all came back to him. He launched himself up and looked around, desperate for any signs of Tikki.

To his right side, his miraculous was nestled into the snow beside him. It seemed unharmed from the events at the temple, but it wasn't what Plagg had wanted to see. 

He spotted a human who seemed to be no more than 12 years old and several kwamis encircling a figure in the snow to his left. Plagg rushed towards them.

"Where is Tikki!?"

The group turned to look at him, and some kwamis moves aside so he could enter the circle. Laying in the snow, Tikki faced toward the sky, and her eyes were closed. Her earrings were next to her body, the black spots glowing. She seemed peaceful like she was sleeping. Or dead.

"I-is she going to be okay?" Plagg almost choked on the words.

"She will be fine," the human boy answered. "She is merely sleeping. Her healing is complete, as it was only some minor burns and trauma. We are all simply making sure there are no more severe problems."

Plagg sighed in relief. He was okay, and now Tikki was going to be okay. A thought nagged at the back of his head though: _Why did he suddenly care so much about Tikki's well being?_

Plagg knew that he was innately a selfish creature, and based on past experiences, he also knew not to get attached to others, whether they be human or kwami. What was so special about Tikki? Plagg cared about himself, and himself alone, but yet...he had saved her even though it didn't benefit him.

"As much as I'd like to continue watching the ladybug kwami, we must be on the move again."

Hearing the human's voice again pulled Plagg from his thoughts, "Where exactly are we going?"

"As far away from here as we can. We are not safe just yet. I can feel being watched and chased. And something tells me it might be human," the boy paused, looking at something far in the distance. He seemed caught up in thought.

"Right." A kwami with purple eyes and large burnt orange ears with white tips and a tail to match, a fox perhaps, broke the silence. "Well, I can help carry the ladybug if another one of you could help."

"I've got you Trixx," another kwami, this time yellow with black, bee-like, stripes down her body and a coat of fuzzy yellow fur around her neck, said. 

Trixx grinned at the bee kwami, "Thanks, Pollen!"

  
  
The two of them detached themselves from the group and came toward Tikki. Plagg backed off out of their way as they lifted her up off the ground. He looked all around at the kwamis and realized that he did not recognize any of them. 

"That's settled then," the boy said as he opened up a miracle box he had next to him."For now, the rest of you have to return to the miracle box."

Plagg saw that the miracle box had spaces for about 20 kwamis. There was a raised platform that contained places for five miraculouses, which Plagg suspected were the most powerful of the box. The spaces were all different colors from orange, to green, from yellow to blue and purple. All around the outside of the box were various handles to pull out drawers that contained even more miraculouses. Only about 7 kwamis had been out, including Trixx and Pollen. But even after they were all back inside the box, their miraculouses securely stored away, there were still spaces missing from the top.

Plagg could piece together that the orange and yellow slots must be for Trixx and Pollen, seeing as the human kept out a necklace that looked like a fox tail and a hair clip with a yellow bee on it. But there was still no miraculouses insight for the blue and purple places.

He was curious about what had happened for two seconds before he remembered the fire at the temple. It was probably not best to ask what had happened. All the kwamis in the box must be having a hard enough time without his questions.

The boy closed the box, and Plagg studied the ornate plan of red that was carved into the lid of the box. It was the same symbol that was plastered all over the temple. The symbol of the miraculous.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with you, black cat."

Plagg tore his eyes away from the box to instead meet the warm brown eyes of the boy. He had kind eyes and soft features. He was obviously still a human child, and Plagg wondered who put him in charge of an entire miracle box, seeing as humans have to go through decades of training at the temple to become guardians.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions about what happened after you saved your fellow kwamis life," the boy continued. "Let me give you as many answers as I can."

Plagg continued to look deep into his eyes and was puzzled to see a dense layer of guilt and grief. He didn't know if he was ready to hear the answers this human child had.

But regardless if he was ready or not, there were some answers he knew he couldn't hide from. And with that, he grabbed his miraculous from the snow and perched himself on the boy's shoulder, ready to hear the entire story of how they all got there from the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry for being gone so long!!!!!
> 
> Ahk life really got in the way! First i had a ton of school then I had some serious writers block :((
> 
> Though watching miraculous with my boyfriend really really helped me get my motivation back! so thats very nice!!
> 
> Take a double chapter upload for all your troubles :))
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who reads this story! It means so much to me!! :))


	5. [Adrien] Escape

Present Day

Today was the day. Today, Adrien was going to go to school for the very first time. Today, he would get one of the only things he had always wanted.

Unfortunately, there would never be a day where someone could be brought back from the dead.

Click! Click! RIIIIIIIIING! An alarm clock blared from Adrien's nightstand exactly when the clock hit 7:00 AM. Adrien let it ring out a few more times before he turned it off. He held it in his hands for a few seconds. The second's hand ticked, ticked, ticked. It passed the large painted numbers on its mission to the neatly lettered 12 at the top of the circle. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1. The minute hand shivered over another space. 7:01AM.

Adrien set the clock down before walking away from his nightstand. The bed was perfectly made already, almost as if someone had never slept in it at all. With loud, heavy footing, Adrien made his way to the bathroom connected to his room and turned on the shower. But he didn't get in. He still had work to do.

Now with light, quiet footing, Adrien turned to the only glass wall of his room. He examined the window panes, trying to find a latch or groove he could use to open it to the outside world. He scoured up and down the wall as far up as he could reach. Then, all the way down to where the glass met the floor. His fingers brushed against every window pane he could reach, looking for just one opening, just one latch.

Tick, tick, tick, time was running out. With every second that passed, Adrien felt more anxious, more desperate. The shaky plan he had formed in his mind yesterday relied on him getting a window open. From there, he planned on dropping down onto trash cans placed below him. He was lucky to have a room only on the second floor of his house, so the drop was far, but it could have been worse. He believed he could make it. Piping ran to both sides of his window-wall, which he could use to hold onto, or if it was sturdy enough, slide down. But, none of those details mattered if he couldn't get a panel of glass open.

Adrien glanced back at his nightstand, where he had set his alarm clock back down. 7:22AM. His heart dropped to his stomach.

"Crap. I'm in trouble."

The windowpane he had been examining was abandoned as Adrien rushed back to the shower and quickly jumped in. As he washed his hair, Adrien pondered a new plan. He was already running later than he had expected. School started exactly at 8:15, so he had less than an hour to get there. Though, he estimated it would take him about 15 minutes to walk there, so that gave him even less time.

Adrien gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste. He figured that starting online school would make it even more difficult to transition into a regular school. He also didn't want to risk having that change need something like his dad's signature. Though to be fair, Adrien had no idea how traditional school even worked other than what he had seen through the lenses of movies and TV shows (and even then, only those his dad had allowed him to watch). In his mind, it was just better to be cautious over the possibility of having everything fall apart yet again.

As Adrien combed and styled his hair, a knock sounded at his room's door, followed by a muffled voice, "Adrien, breakfast is ready. It's waiting at the table."

Nathalie, his dad's assistant, was the one at the door. One of the jobs his dad had given her was managing Adrien's schedule, so it was no surprise that she called him for breakfast. Instead of talking to his son himself, Gabriel always sent Nathalie to do that for him. At this point, Nathalie might as well have been Adrien's father herself.

Adrien let out a small sigh before raising his voice to reply, "Thanks, Nathalie! I'll be there in a second."

After he heard her footsteps calmly walk away, Adrien felt his muscles relax. His hands began to shake as he finished up, styling his hair. Nathalie was going to be the biggest obstacle he had to overcome. He knew his father would be busy and would probably not have breakfast with him; however, she would be there to watch over him. She could not know about Adrien's plans to escape, seeing as she would report to his father her concerns. 

Adrien could not afford to not act normal around Nathalie at breakfast. Any wrong move or unusual act would be picked up by Nathalie's perceptive nature. Most of the time, Adrien felt like she knew what he was going to do next before he even did. No wonder his father hired her to oversee the business side of his designing work.

As he finished getting ready, Adrien took one last look at himself in the mirror. He stared into his brilliant, emerald green eyes and gave himself his best smile.

His plan would work. _It had to._

With a final flash of a genuine smile this time, Adrien exited his room and headed toward the dining room. Nathalie was waiting outside the door when he got there, holding her tablet in one hand. He greeted her with a nod and a smile; her only response was opening the door.

Adrien entered the room and was greeted by the empty dining room table, with its polished wood chairs with red cushions gathering dust. He sat down at one end at the head of the table where food was laid out. He hardly paid attention to the food, though, opting to stare at the empty chair at the head of the table.

Disappointment burned his throat. Even though he knew his father wouldn't show up to breakfast and that his plan depended on him being busy, Adrien couldn't help but feel sad by yet another of his father's absences.

How much longer would Adrien hang on to the last bit of hope he had in his father?

What did he have to do to finally please his father? Certainly asking to go to a physical school wasn't helping that, but for years Adrien had wanted that. He had wanted to go to school even before his mother disappeared, back when he knew his father still cared.

"Are you not hungry, Adrien?" Nathalie's stern and cold voice stung through Adrien's thoughts.

"Has my father changed his mind about school?" Adrien countered, his eyes still fixed on the empty chair.

"Adrien..." Nathalie's voice softened for a second as she trailed off, betraying a bit of sadness in her tone.

Adrien quickly stood up in his chair, a new fire in his heart. Of course, his father wouldn't suddenly approve of school overnight. Adrien was done with waiting for his father to let him have what he wanted. Starting now, he would do it himself, even if it was just for a day.

"I'll be in my room doing my lessons," Adrien said as calmly as he could as he left the table.

Nathalie said nothing, and she didn't even follow him to his room, to Adrien's cautious delight. As soon as his door was shut, he went straight back to the windows. He wasn't ready to go with his riskier Plan B just yet. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, there was a distinct flash of red. Adrien turned his head to try and catch what he saw. Just as he approached where he thought the flash had gone, he heard a quiet creak from above.

The sound made him pause. Could that be?

In his excitement, he totally forgot about the red flash as he looked up. Right there, in front of him, a window was open! His escape was finally going to be something real.

Finally, he would get something he wanted.

Luckily, the window was high enough for him to reach, and he pulled himself up onto the window sill. He sat down with his legs dangling over the edge as he looked down at the ground below. The jump was definitely something he could make without getting injured, but he still paused before making the final leap. Was this really worth his father's wrath? What if a school wasn't all Adrien made it out to be in his head? What if he couldn't make any friends?

Adrien looked back into his room. His eyes drifted to his bedside table, where a picture frame stood. He didn't have to clearly see the photo to know what it looked like. He had spent so many hours looking at a younger version of himself with his mother. Adrien was always happy that he looked just like her, with her golden hair and green eyes. Even though she wasn't right beside him, he knew she was still with him in his heart. He wasn't doing this just cause it was what he wanted. It was what she wanted too. 

He closed his eyes against the what-ifs and jumped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Adrien!
> 
> Adrien has turned to the dark side now owo
> 
> And yes! double chapter update!! The notes from Chapter 4 contain an apology and explanation for my absence just in case you missed it!
> 
> I will try and upload chapter 6 within the next month so we can finally see Marinette and Adrien meet for the first time :))
> 
> Love y'all and cya next time! :))


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